For my article, I used “Leaders or Cheaters: Steroids of the Brain,” written by Carlton Stine. He states that use of Aderall without a prescription has increased by 35% on college campuses across America. I believe that Aderall isn’t a bad thing when it’s prescribed for you, but when someone uses it illegally, I feel that that is cheating. Those who are prescribed Aderall are prescribed it becsase they literally can’t focus and find it difficult to even feel motivated to do school work. When they are prescribed it by doctors, they are given reasonable amounts, so that they can live a normal student life. With Aderall, ADHD patients can focus for hours and accomplish what they need to accomplish in order to maintain good grades. Without the prescription, ADHD students would likely perform less and maybe even drop out. Those are the pros of the drug, the cons are the heightened state of happiness it puts you in, the acceleration of your heart beat, and also the depression it sends you into when you come off the drug. All of these effects can be monitored if the dose of the prescription is correct, and that is why going to a doctor regularly is important. But students who acquire it illegally most likely have the wrong dose, most often higher doses which increase the symptoms described earlier. It is dangerous to overuse this drug because over time it can cause heart problems. I think this is where the real danger of the drug comes into play because young, healthy students are overdosing on this drug because they do not know their own dose. I think the only way to remedy this is to have doctors be more careful who they prescribe to and also the government should monitor the drug by keeping track of the medications prescribed to each person.
I think it is important to note that the downsides of Adderall (accelerated heart rate, possible risk of depression, etc.) are probably just as prevalent in those with ADHD as those without. In fact, writers and other occupations sometimes take amphetamines (which I think the drug Adderall is based off of) to be more productive. So I am not so sure that anyone who doesn't have a prescription is necessarily abusing the drug, though they have to be careful about it.
ReplyDeleteyes Adderall is an Amphetamine. And i feel like writers and otehrs occupations using the drug is actually abusing the drug too. legally, only patients with ADHD and ADD are allowed to take those drugs, and any other use is abusing. i know it's helpful to be more productive, but it's still illegal.
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